12 Days of Drabble
by Naishu
Summary: A 12-drabble collection of snippets from around the holidays, based on the '12 Days of Drabble' challenge in the Reviews Lounge, Too. Some are fluffy, some are not. New: Final Drabble - Setsuna
1. 12 Drummers

So! This starts off a drabble challenge from the Reviews Lounge, Too! It's the 12 days of drabble, and each entry has to relate to one of the days from the 'twelve days of Christmas' song! Each one has a word count that corresponds to its day, so this one, 12 drummers, has 112 words. I decided to approach these as being flashes from holiday seasons, but not necessarily Christmas fluff.

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**Twelve Drummers - Setsuna**

Frigid air seeped in around the neck of Setsuna's coat. Snow flitted across his vision and he couldn't remember being so uncomfortable in a climate before; this mission unfortunately called for it. It was late December and all around he could hear a drum beating to indicate the time.

Twelve beats for the hour, but more than that.

Twelve beats, one per year.

Twelve years ago.

It had been twelve years since he'd heard the beat of a different drum, the drum of war. Twelve years ago it had rung so loudly in his ears that it drowned all else. That's the drum he heard now.

The beating drum of Krugis falling.


	2. 11 Pipers

**Eleven Pipers - Neil**

His scope was steady, it had always been.

Bright light filtered out across the snow, full of the dancing shadows of a boisterous holiday party on the other side of tinted seasonal glass.

Neil could hear the twelve pipers across the empty distance, and for a moment his breath drew in. For a moment he remembered that once, a long time ago, he'd been the little shadow of a child running along the glass. His grip tightened and he released the wayward breath slowly. That child had stopped running long ago. So long.

The pull was smooth, the recoil sent to his seasoned shoulder.

Tonight there would be one less piper.


	3. 10 Lords

AN: While this may not have the impact of the first two, in my mind it frames Tieria well. I doubt he'd see the point in celebrating formal holidays :P

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**Ten Lords - Tieria**

Ten dignitaries sat at a table, seemingly enjoying a holiday meal. It was amazing how many holiday television specials politicians found a way to attend. When asked about the atrocities of the A-Laws, one had the nerve to crack a joke, the others laughed.

Tieria's brow twitched.

Ten dignitaries laughing at things that should've made them spew up their catered holiday meal.

It made him sick. The holiday telethon was meant to illustrate the close, happy relationship between countries under the Federation's blanket. A Lie. Ten minutes later, Tieria watched them jump and dance around on stage.

If they opened their eyes, they'd see they were jumping into their graves.


	4. 9 Ladies

**Nine Ladies - Marina**

Azadistan had never looked so wonderful, rebuilt as though it had never fallen. Marina didn't know how she felt about the unification of the world, but she knew that she was thankful for her country. She knew that the real thanks belonged to Celestial Being, and to Setsuna. Celestial Being had forced the world to unite and Setsuna had shown her his reasons for fighting. She didn't understand them, or agree with them, but she knew what they were.

She watched the ballroom before her, ladies spinning and twirling across its floor to local holiday music.

They'd never know.

Sitting at the head table, she'd never felt so alone.


	5. 8 Maids

AN: My take on how Alle/Marie would spend their holidays, seeing as they're our favourite occasional hippies.

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**Eight Maids - Allelujah**

Allelujah didn't know what he'd been expecting when he and Marie had decided to visit Kazakhstan, but whatever it was, he didn't feel it. All around them were pastures, eroded fields, and the deep scars of war barely covered in new growth.

Had he really come from such a place?

Sumeragi said that his Super Human Institute file said he had. He couldn't have come from a home like the one at the base of the hill, where children chased milk cows much to the dismay of their mother. It couldn't be right.

"I couldn't be so lucky." He murmured.

Marie squeezed his hand.

"Yes, you could be."


	6. 7 Swans

AN: What I think Ribbons thinks of on Christmas. I'm trying to touch on as many unique characters as possible. Stormy: I totally understand the shortness causing problems! I'd have trouble reviewing these.

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**Seven Swans - Ribbons**

The total reformation of the world was inevitable, Ribbons knew that. He lay back and stared out the window at his gift to himself: Earth. Shortly the entire world would bend to the will of the innovators, shortly it would be his.

It was natural that the Innovators should rule the world, and that he should rule them. Bring, Divine, Anew, Revive, Hilling, Regene, and himself. The Innovators were his swans to place in a neat little row, and in turn they would keep mankind in order in its exquisite global lake.

Yes, Ribbons would rule the world.

In a world of fish, the swan is God.


	7. 6 Geese

**Six Geese - Sergei**

After stamping the final leave pass of the day, Sergei leaned back. His troops were off to their various districts to visit family and friends for the holidays, and somehow he'd managed to be alone for the holidays again. Of course, his last holiday was when Andrei had been young and the family had visited a tree farm. Six-year-old Andrei had spent more time chasing geese than choosing a tree. Sergei hadn't minded. He missed having someone to spend the holidays with.

"Colonel, is there anything you need?" Soma Peires stood in the doorway.

He thought for a moment.

"Have you ever celebrated the holidays, Lieutenant?"


	8. 5 Gold Rings

**Five Gold Rings - The Gundams**

Ian breathed a sigh of relief. There were no scheduled exercises during the holidays, and that left him time to appreciate the Gundams. Cherudim, with sighting abilities that would make anyone jealous. Arios, so fast that it needed a super-soldier pilot to withstand its force. Seravee and Seraphim, whose powers could only be mastered by someone meticulous and who could be trusted to not abuse their immense combined strength. Finally, Double-Oh. The Gundam that could change the world. Only one person could pilot it properly, a pilot who was willing to change with it.

Five Gundams, Five golden wishes.

His Christmas gift to the world.


	9. 4 Calling Birds

AN: I fully admit that this is quite liberal for 'calling birds', but I tried a few and this one was my favorite!

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**Four Calling Birds - The Bridge Crew**

Ptolemy's bridge was quiet, yet filled with the hum of its crew. Feldt, Lichty, Lasse, and Christina were quietly working away. They were all excitedly awaiting the Meisters' return so they could begin their Christmas celebrations.

Sumeragi looked from face-to-face. They were all so driven to their calling. Each one of them had brought a set of unique skills and irreplaceable charm to the ship, and each one of them had found a place in her heart. The engineers often talked about the irreplaceability of the GN Drives, but Sumeragi knew something they didn't.

The four around her were more precious than any technology.


	10. 3 French Hens

**Three French Hens - Trinities**

Johann watched his siblings fight over the remaining drumstick of their turkey. They'd hidden their Gundams in a rural area of France and were enjoying the first Earth-bound Christmas they'd had. Michael was threatening Nena, who'd already skillfully placed her small knife to catch him if he tried anything. He knew they'd be fine.

No, their methods weren't the same as Celestial Being's, as the organization's Gundam Meisters had pointed out. Still, that didn't stop them from being any less human, or any less loved.

The three of them were more ruthless than their counterparts, but regardless, he would always love his siblings.


	11. 2 Turtle Doves

AN: Alas, I had to revisit these two... I love them to death after-all. I hope it isn't too cliché to use twins for this post.

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**Two Turtle Doves - Neil & Lyle**

Neil sighed as he watched his brother disappear into one of the classroom buildings that sprawled across campus. He'd come to give him a Christmas card, but had decided against it. Why? Well, he looked so… _happy_. The books had to be heavy, and the snow all around was cold, but his expression was carefree and confident as he'd chased after his friend.

There was no place for Neil to be there, a constant reminder of their family. Lyle and he were birds of a feather, but at the same time they were so different.

He tore out of the parking lot.


	12. Partridge in a Pear Tree

AN: The final one! I'm so happy I kept with this. Now I can battle my writers' block on _Reverie_. As a side-note, has anyone noticed that the song "My Grown-up Christmas List" sounds like it was written by the Meisters? Also, a thanks to Stormy for sticking through this :D

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**Partrige in a Pear Tree - Setsuna**

The earth rotated slowly in Setsuna's view as he sat in Double-Oh's cockpit. It was beautiful. Snow covered most of the Northern hemisphere, and in dark areas he could see the luminescent light of the holidays. A world free from war. It was like the newly planted pear-tree in Ptolemy's lab… new, young, waiting to see what it would become.

The A-Laws were gone. The innovators were gone.

He'd changed, just as Lockon had told him to. Understand, not fight.

He watched the new world. If it was a sapling, he would be the ever-watchful bird perched among its growing branches.


End file.
